Transformers quake 2
Transformers Quake 2 is a mod for the PC game Quake II based on the popular toyline Transformers. The mod is largely intended for online play, but also features some single-player elements. Work on the mod began in 1998, with initial content being created by Jason 'Jay' Seip, who was responsible for creating several of the first player models. Initially, the only character playable was Sideswipe, while replacements were made for the weapons, such as Sideswipe's rocket launcher and Wheeljack's grenade launchers. After Sideswipe, the next models included Prowl and Mirage. Features of the mod intially included: *Invisbility power up (replaces the ammo-pack), based on Mirage's ability *Hologram projector (replaces the bandolier), based on Hound's ability *Ability to survive underwater without needing to surface to breath. *Transform in to car mode and drive around *Jet pack enabling flight in robot mode (replaced the silencer), based on Sideswipe's jet pack. *Invulnerability power-up now styled as Autobot Matrix. Work continued on the mod throughout 1999 and 2000, with the addition of other new weapon models and a few new maps. Over the year, however, work on the mod slowed considerably as there were problems in developing stable code as well as personal issues for some of the team. In 2001 a bugged version 3 was released which enable several new features. These included: *'Class' based characters - each Transformer fits a certain class based on their alternate mode, such as 'car', 'jet', 'dino' - Dinobots Grimlock and Snarl, 'flier' Swoop and 'static' - Soundwave. * Users could download and add additional characters at will. *Several new maps, principally created by 'Can'o'bis', including Sherman Dam, Crystal City and a moon base. *New playable characters including Grimlock, Swoop, Gears, Hound and two characters created by model-maker Rikki Knight, Dung and Beep. In 2003, a site announcement reported that a new updated version was available which added new enemy replacements to single-player as well as fixing some bugs and adding a few new player models, including Galvatron. 2003 also saw a newer version released which added support for the Q2max, an add-on which enabled greater use of colours in user created character textures, called 'skins'. A single-player add-on, using custom maps with Quake II enemies replaced by Decepticon warriors, was created by a fan 'Multicron' which re-created the climactic battle from Transformers: The Movie, with the player having to escape a shuttle damaged by Unicron before pentrating Unicron's body and battling through his body to retrieve the Autobot Matrix and defeat Megatron. The mod is currently still being developed, largely single-handedly, by 'Alpha Prime', who has added more new features including 4-team Capture the Flag mode, additional classes for boats, submarines, hovercraft, helicopters and insects, and new power-ups and replaced models for some existing power-ups. 'Alpha Prime' has also created some new player models including a triple-changing version of Blitzwing. The decline in the mod's popularity can be blamed on two factors; firstly, Quake II is over ten years old and has been made obsolete by many newer games such as Quake III and the later Unreal Tournament games, which feature more stable internet play code, better graphics, more sophisticated AI for enemy characters and more open level-design as well as often featuring vehicles players can operate. The second factor is simply the fact that it is a hobby project for which none of the contributors are paid and as such, it's not a high priority to some people to work on such projects. The mod is noteworthy though for being one of the only Quake II mods that is still being developed such a long time after inception, since many others such as Action Quake 2, Air Quake 2 or Generations were abandoned in favour of releases for new games, such as Half-Life, Quake 3 or Unreal Tournament. ------ Classes * Car - Robot transforms into a car and can drive around. * Jet - Robot transforms into a jet (or space shuttle in the case of Blast-Off) and can fly and fire lasers. (This class will be modified to fire bullets in v.4) * Dino - Robot transforms into an animal (dinosaurs in the only extant examples), can walk around and fire weak blast bolts. (This class will be modified for v.4 to fire flames) * Flier - Robot transforms into a flying creature (Pteranodon in extant example) which can fly, perch and hop. * Static - Robot transforms into alt-mode and can launch a guided missile styled after the character Laserbeak. (This class is undergoing revision for v.4 and will be renamed 'player', and used solely for Soundwave) * Tank - Robot transforms into a tank which can drive around and fire mini-rockets. * Gun - Robot transforms into a gun and can fire BFG-style energy blasts. Version 4 will add new classes: * Mini - Robot transforms into a mini car, split from Car class. Differences not yet announced. * Truck - Robot transforms into a truck, split from car class. Differences not yet announced. * Sub - Robot transforms into a submarine type craft, can fire torpedoes. Can't move on land. * Boat - Robot transforms into a boat, floats on water, can't move on land. * Hover - Robot transforms into a hovercraft, can float on water and move on land. * Insect - Robot transforms into insect and can cling to walls. * Triple Changer - Robot can switch between 2 alt-modes, will be split into 4 sub-classes: Triple1 - Tank/Jet; Triple2, Jet/Truck; Triple3, Helo/Car and Triple4, Jet/boat. * Static - Robot transforms into a static mode which fires lasers, this mode will be used for Rumble/Frenzy and a custom character called 'Beep' in place of the current static class. * Player - Replacement for old 'Static' class. * Helicopter - Robot transforms into a helicopter and can fly around * Spy - can fire a 'camera missile', similar to the 'player' class, but without the 'missile' model. Version 4 will also restrict how fast the Car class (and Truck and Mini) can travel underwater. ------- Weapons and Items Transformers Quake 2 replaces many of the Quake 2 weapons and items with other Transformers-related items as noted above. Some of these are complete replacements, others are partial. Weapons include: *Blaster - Jazz's pistol replaces the blaster and fires a blue laser beam *Shotgun - Up to v.3 the shotgun is the same, but with a new sound effect. V.4 will replace the old model with a new weapon based on Slag's pellet gun. *Super Shotgun - Prowl's rifle replaces the super-shotgun. It fires 3 shells at a time instead of 2. *Machine Gun - Initially given only a new sound effect, in V.3 the machine gun was given a lightning gun effect. V.4 will switch this to a new weapon, Skids' Electro-blaster, while the MG will return to firing bullets, but will be given a new model, Shrapnel's machine gun. *Chain gun - Initially only given a new sound effect, in v.4 the chain gun will be replaced by Soundwave's shoulder gun. *Grenade Launcher - Wheeljack's shoulder mounted grenade launchers replace this, meaning two weapons which fire alterantely. *Rocket Launcher - Sideswipe's shoulder-mounted rocket launcher. Early versions featured rockets that dropped four grenades on detonation, but this was removed in v.3 *Hyperblaster - Initially only given a new sound effect, v.4 will finally replace this with Starscream's arm cannon. *Rail Gun - Optimus Prime's laser rifle. Fires a green laser bolt, which v.4 will change to blue. *BFG - Megatron's fusion cannon. V.4 will replace the green energy ball with a purple one. V.1 also featured a homing rocket launcher. This was removed in v.2 but will reappear in V.4 Items include: *Invisibility to replace Ammo Pack (lasts 30 seconds) *Hologram projector to replace Bandolier (hologram mimics projecting player, lasts around 15 seconds before exploding. *Energon cubes replace large health packs (These can explode if shot) *Energon rods replace small health packs (These can explode if shot) *Fuel canisters for the Jet Pack replace Health pods *Jet Pack which grants 30 seconds of flight in robot mode replaces Silencer. *V.4 will see the Power shield replaced by Trailbreaker's power shield. Similar effect, new model. *Quad Damage, currently a 'flipping' Autobot and Decepticon symbol, this will be replaced by a new model in v.4 *Autobot Matrix in V.4 will grant all CTF power ups. The model is currently used for the Invulnerability, which will be replaced with a new 'Electrum' cannister. *Energon goodies will replaced Adrenaline in v.4 *Unstable Energon (glowing and with a particle effect) will replace the Megahealth in v.4 *Sentry guns replace Armour shards. A small unit that unfolds and fires at enemies. --------- Major contributors to the mod include: *Jason 'Jay' Seip - models and weapon/power-up models. *Rikki Knight - models, character textures. *'Multicron' - maps, map textures, character textures. *'Can'o'bis' - maps and map textures. *Albert Ng - maps and several character models/textures. *'Triggerhappy' - maps and character textures. *'Alpha Prime' - maps, code, character models, weapon models, and other models. *Eric Harrington - code for versions 1 and 2. *Neil Richardson - code for version 3. *Brian Shelton - models. *Mike 'Bruticus' Cassidy - models. *Steven 'Qasar' Bock - models, textures and scripting. *Devin 'Pursuit' Van Zilthai - character textures *Scott 'Redline' Fry - character textures. Although the rate of progress has slowed considerably, 'Alpha Prime' continues to make announcements of progress on the mod's forums as well as soliciting the opinion of the few other surviving posters on how new features should be implemented. He has also hinted at plans for a fifth and sixth versions, including Targetmasters and Headmasters. Sources *http://www.transformersworld.com - official mod site *http://tfqaquake2tc.yuku.com/directory - mod forum.